Medical Team Departs for Afghanistan
A team of Estonian medics is dispatching to Afghanistan's Camp Bastion outdoor hospital, where they will work alongside British and American surgeons until July.
It is the third team of Estonian civilian doctors to participate in the Afghanistan mission. The current group consists of professionals from the North Estonia Medical Center and University of Tartu Hospital, reported ETV.
The doctors will arrive in Afghanistan for the hottest and most fight-heavy season. Camp Bastion treats wounded soldiers who have been brought in directly from the battlefield. The facility comprises 50 beds and a personnel of 300. Experts say only three to four NATO countries are capable of independently hosting such a large outdoor hospital.
When Estonia expressed an interest to participate in the field hospital, MDs first had to prove themselves worthy of working among the British, American and Danish professionals. That took about five years. “It necessitated a certain political support. At first they only permitted us to watch, not to take part in operating procedures. It took time but today we make a worthy contribution,” said Riho Terras, commander of the Defense Forces.
Ott Tammik